Lehigh University

Small Business Development Center

Lehigh University SBDC: Sign-up for Services

Thank you for your interest in our program's services. Please complete the "Request for Service" form, as it appears below, as completely and as accurately as possible, to sign up for our services. In addition to providing our Center with your contact information and the assistance being sought, the form establishes confidentiality between you and the Center for future discussions. All consultations are by appointment only and this form is required to start the process for new clients. We look forward to receiving your request. If you have any questions, please contact our office at (610) 758-3980.

All mandatory fields appear in bold (*).

First Name*:

Last Name*:

Email:
Salutation:

Address*:

City*:

State*:

Zip Code*:

Country*:

Home Phone:

Phone*:

Mobile:

Fax:

Please include me in future mailings

Please complete the following fields so that we may better serve you in the future. All information provided here will remain confidential.

Gender:

Race:

Hispanic:

Veteran:

Reservist:

Disabled:

Please note: If you are currently in business, stop here and use this link to request our services.
If you are starting a business or buying a business, please continue filling this form.

Company Status*:

Business Type:

Briefly describe your proposed products/services:

Please complete the following details about your company.

Company Name:

Date Established:

Organization:

Business Size:

Company Gender:

Certification Date:

Vet. Status:

Full-time Employees:

Part-time Employees:

Business Online?

Home-based?

Company URL:

Referral From:

Referral Description:

Requested Service*:

Please describe specific service or assistance requested*:

As an SBDC client you have the right to expect:

Consulting Assistance Provided at No Charge – Because the SBDC program is supported by funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Community Economic Development, Lehigh University and other funders, consulting is provided at no charge to you. Fees may apply for training programs, special services, materials, and publications. You will be notified of any fees in advance.

Confidentiality of Information Provided – All SBDC representatives agree to abide by the Pennsylvania SBDC's Standards of Professional Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy. Information you provide will be held in strictest confidence and will not be released to any parties outside of the Pennsylvania SBDC network without your consent. No information you provide will be used to the commercial advantage of any SBDC representative or to the advantage of a third party. Exceptions:

Information about the SBDC's service delivery is reported in aggregate to its funders and the general public. Specific information about you will not be released without your consent.

The SBDC will collect and report in aggregate to its funders and the general public information on you such as demographic statistics; size, location, age and industry of your business; the general nature of your engagement with the SBDC; and impact statistics such as financing obtained, sales increased or jobs created.

If you were referred to the SBDC, the SBDC will notify the referrer that you have sought assistance from the SBDC. The SBDC, however, will not disclose in detail the nature of the assistance you are requesting unless you provide consent to do so.

Information will be shared with the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance if you consent below.

Unbiased Recommendations - SBDC representatives will not knowingly recommend the purchase of goods or services from any individual or firm with which any SBDC representative has a financial, familial or personal interest.

Non-Disclosure of Trade Secrets – Sensitive trade secrets pertaining to unique facts of your business will not be used to benefit another client of the SBDC or any SBDC representative. You understand that sensitive trade secret information is information which is not obvious, which is unknown, or which is unique and pertains to new inventions, secret manufacturing and processing procedures or formulas, or any new innovative process. You understand that it is your responsibility to inform the SBDC of any such sensitive trade secrets both verbally and in writing.

Assistance, Guidance, Recommendations and Education – The SBDC program is an educational program. The SBDC will work with you on your specific issues to help build your management skills and knowledge. It is your responsibility to accept and implement recommendations. The SBDC will not:

negotiate on your behalf

write your business plan

act as an employee of your business

As an SBDC client you are responsible for:

Participating in Surveys – Because this program cares about the quality of services provided, and because it is primarily funded with public support, the SBDC undertakes a number of initiatives to ascertain the quality and impact of services provided to you. Your candid feedback is critical to the long-term success of this program. You will be asked to participate in an annual client questionnaire sent at/near the end of the calendar year. Your consultant will provide you with a copy of the client questionnaire upon request.

Informing Legislators About the Service – Consulting services are provided at no charge to you because of the financial support of the federal government and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To ensure the SBDC program will be available to others, we may ask you to write to your legislators to let them know about your experience with the program.

Accepting Responsibility and Waiving all Claims – In recognition that you are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of your business and that all decisions pertaining to implementing plans and operating your business are solely your responsibility, you hereby waive any claims of damages against the Lehigh University SBDC, the Pennsylvania SBDC program, any universities hosting a Pennsylvania SBDC program, the Lehigh University, the US Small Business Administration, and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, or any other entity that provides funding to the Pennsylvania SBDC program, based on any advice or information provided by the SBDC.

Reporting of Data to Pennsylvania Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance

Per Federal law (15 USC 648(a)(7)), the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers maintain strict confidentiality of client data. The only condition under which a Small Business Development Center can share client information with other organizations is if the client provides explicit written permission to do so.

Because the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) provides significant funding to the SBDC program through the Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP), which enables consulting services to be provided to you at no-fee, is interested in knowing specific information on SBDC clients served; and there are economic development and growth programs outside of the SBDC from which you as a client may benefit; therefore, you permit the release of your name, contact information, company name, business type/NAICS code, demographic information (minority, woman and/or veteran owned status), company start date, tenure of company owner, and type of assistance provided to the Pennsylvania DCED and member organizations in the PREP program. This information will be entered into the PREP database called Executive Pulse. By agreeing to allow the information outlined above to be entered into Executive Pulse you waive all rights to the Privacy Protection of SBDC data as noted in 15 USC 648(a)(7), and waive all claims against the SBA, the University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University for any harm or damages resulting from sharing this information.

You have my permission to release my name, contact information, company name, business type/NAICS code, demographic information (minority, woman and/or veteran owned status), company start date, tenure of company owner, and type of assistance provided to the Pennsylvania DCED, member organizations in the PREP program and other authorized users of the Executive Pulse database:
(Yes No)

Your response does not impact access to SBDC services.

By means of an electronic signature I understand I am agreeing to the terms listed above.